WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – There’s a lot of news when it comes to COVID in the north country. It includes hospitals that can’t do elective surgeries, one college requiring a booster shot for people to return to campus for the spring semester, and a news conference set for Wednesday.
That news conference will be held at 11 a.m. in Watertown. 7 News plans to broadcast it live.
We’re not sure if Jefferson County leaders will go as far as issuing a state of emergency, but we do know they plan to give the community an assessment on public health in the region.
“There’s a great deal of concern about the condition of our health care system, and we will address that,” said Jefferson County Legislature Chairman Scott Gray.
He says he and hospital leaders want to paint a better picture of what those concerns are.
“It is basically going to be a call-to-action for the community,” said Gray.
He wouldn’t say if a state of emergency will be declared, or if mask requirements will be announced.
It comes just days after Samaritan’s state-sponsored testing site reopened Monday.
Spokesperson Leslie DiStefano says the site comes at a time when positivity rates and indoor activities are ramping up.
“Going into the holiday season, as we know more people will be indoors celebrating together, we just want to make sure people can get adequate, accessible testing, and very convenient as well,” she said.
In its first day, around 40 people were given the free test and slots are already filling up for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, two north country hospitals are having to cut back on elective surgeries – a directive given by the governor – because beds at Canton-Potsdam Hospital and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center are nearly full.
The president of St. Lawrence Health System, which runs Canton-Potsdam Hospital, said, “As we continue to progress into this current COVID surge, we will adjust the changing needs of our patients as well as our available resources.”
A spokesperson for Claxton-Hepburn tells 7 News, “The hospital will contact any patients affected by the recent directive to limit certain surgical procedures.”
Meanwhile, Syracuse University announced Monday it’ll require eligible, returning students and faculty to get a booster shot before the spring semester.
Private universities in the north country aren’t going that far right now. A spokesperson for St. Lawrence University says while it requires students and employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the booster, at this time, is highly recommended.
A spokesperson for Clarkson University says, “We are currently evaluating all guidance from Public Health regarding booster shots, but no decision has been made at this time.”
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